Concentric steering column gearshift operating mechanism



Nov. 30, 1948,

J. J. AWHARAM E1' AL 2,455,204 CONCENTRIC STEERING COLUMN GEARSHIFT OPERATING MEGHANISM Filed Oct. 19, 194.5 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4/ 46 40 {/ff J9 Y y .J7 I i ;f f! I 3 7Q.\ 62 J J6 j L w n) E- 70 l Y .Y a i* y' I E g 2 66 67 v /Z f5 I ed "6 Y @E ffy, 7 -wj j 75 Patented Nov. 30, 1948 CONCENTRIC STEERING COLUMN GEAR- i SHIFT OPERATING MECHANISM John J. Wharam, Dearbormand MiltonJovan'ovch, Detroit, Mich., assignors to Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Mich., acorporation of Delaware Application October 19, 1945, Serial No.`623,'248

This invention relates to the construction of' shifting shaft is in the form of a tube arranged concentrically exteriorly of the steering column of the motor vehicle. v

Attentionis rst -directed to the copending application led Oct-ober 19, ,1945, Vfor'Concentric steering column ygearshift Serial No. 623,246, now Patent No. 2,455,179 dated Nov. 30, 1948, in which the advantages of this type of construction are fully outlinedand theentire assembly, as appliedv toa motor vehicle, isV shown? in full. The present application is directed to the operating mechanism for such a control: that is, the upper'end construction including the -lever operated-bythe driver of the 'motorvehicle to effect the necessary movement of the shiftingxshaftfr tube to obtain the desired selection in the transmission. The construction of thetransmissionitself forms no part of thisv invention, since it follows'the usual design; and the other elements making up the complete gearshifting vassembly are more fully described in the application first referred vto and in the other applications :tiled October 19, 1945, directed to'a Concentricsteering column gear-v shift clutch construction SerialNo. 623,247 and a Concentric steering column gearshift' support` construction Serial No;'623,222 n'oW PatentzNo. 2,420,333, dated Mayz13, 1947 v While the general advantages of this type of steering column gearshift are described at' length in` the principle application, the structure has particular advantages so far as. the operating I mechanism itself is concerned. The phrase, operating mechanism, is used Aas referring to the upper end of the steering column andthe control assembly and the operating lever which normally extends outwardly beneath the steering wheel on the right side of the steering column and which is manipulatedby the driverto shift the transmission of the vehicle to the desired speed ratios.

mounted on a pivot and a'fulcrum point must also be provided to obtain'the necessaryleverage,. both of which are usuallyexposed Under these` circumstances, it is extremely diilicult 'to accord any satisfactory decorative treatment to these elements and it is particularly hard to provide for adequate lubrication of them in their exposed condition. If they are lubricated, leakage commonly is known to soil the driversattire; and in ,the best of circumstancesV they afford -a I-place for the In the, ordinary Atype of steeringv column gearshift this-operatinglever'must beaccumulation of dirt which to remove. f

Another disadvantage of the operating mechanism'for theseparate shaft type'of steering column gearshift is that they are, unless very care-j fully constructed, likely to becomenoisyand loose With'continued- Wear. Still another disadvantage, is that most constructions of that type which have been found to be `satisfactory are relatvively`1ex` pensive, and -present-certain difficulties in as-g sembly which apear to be unavoidable;

The advantage ofi-the present construction is that the device is extremely economical to manufacture and lmay, beV made almost exclusively either from stampings or from structural elements of a standard-section. Indeed, in the specific example shown; there isbut one forging-the operating lever,- and but one casting-thebracket it'- self. All the other itemsgoingto make vupthe assembly are -either stampi'ngs -or, standard procurementitems. This type of construction resultsin a large saving from material aloney and when these economies are obtained; Without any sacrice either in operating ease and eiiiciency or durability,v construction is indeed most -A desirable v t i A further advantage ofthe particular construction shown is that the operating mechanism isv is extremely dilicult ysupported-directly on the steeringrcolumn rather than throughthe interpositionjof a xed means at the top of the steering column which has here-v tofore been necessary with the other types of gearshift controls. v This means that the movable steering column hub asa unit may be attachedgdif rectly to the steering shaft and function not only as a central member; of the steering Wheel but also as the top closure member for the steering column and the tube of thegearshift control. Av

further advantage of Athe invention is that the s teeringhub, so constructed, conceals y,the upper edgejof the operatinglshaft completely in galliofv4 its various lpositions of operationA so that as far asV outward lappearance is` concerned, the entire assembly appears tobe structurally integral. An-I otheruadvantage of the constructionshown is the factthat thedevicermay be readilyk assembled and is equally easy to disassemble, should service, ever be required. Yet another advantage is that,`

dueto the specific formation of the bracket anaf the operating lever kpivoted initgitvvs possible to so distribute the loadcver the component elements that the device is easily operated and excessive `Wear is avoided.

aQther edvantagewilltb apparenfjf'rofn lflill, description of the iinvention lwhich is s et lforth in.

this specification, claimed in the following claims, and shown in the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section through the upper end of the steering column and the steering wheel assembly showing the operating mechanism for the-steering column gearshift control.

Figure 2 is a horizontal transverse section taken substantially as indicated on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal' 'transversesection' through the forward portion of a motor vehicle' showing, generally, the relationship f of 'the y'various elements making up thisfinyention.

Figure 4 is a front view ofthe operatingbrack't' selectively operating oriorA the otherf'oftwo centered within the liningw. vThe floweredge'g y t6 the "iout'er surfa'cei'of the l steering 'column '20 .f

4 bayonet slots in the lining 40 restraining the outward movement of the horn button 42 but permitting its depression relative to the hub 26. It is normally, however, urged outwardly by the resiliency of the rubber spring unit 41 which has a central hub48- from-'whichl a substantially cylindrical extension projects upwardly to the diaphragm 44 and a flared skirt 50 extending outwardly and downwardly and seated in the bottom of the lining 40. A metal contact member 52 is snapped into the hole in the central hub 48 and is retained there by the upper flange 53 and thelowe'r "or contact flange 54 normally spaced slightly above the top of the steering shaft 55T'- The conformation of the spring unit 41 is so chosen that the horn button is rst compressed against the resiliency of the ared skirt 50 of the rubber spring unit 4l until the flange 54 conieis-iriE contact with the steering shaft 55. Thereafter, any further depression of the horn buttonfistakeri care Kof 'byfthe resiliency of Vthe cylindrical" extension'f '49.2' The' resistance i oi' this latter element is much" greater than that of the skirt 50;so that' the downward movement of'the* horn buttonunder ordinary .pressure then ceases. Howverwhen't is desired to compressithebut-V ton still further in assemblyforfdisassembly;as when' the' lugs '46 are"to-be"engaged"in? or disengaged-from'th lbayo'r'iet'fslots in the lining 40, the resiliency .ofthe "cylindrical" extension 49 per*- niits'this iiirthe'r- "depressioriif su'ci'ent' force gis applied; without interfering' ftvith the subsequent normali operation' 'of the fhorri ibntton; Achern'y cable"f56 ie teriling @through-fthe' 'Tcenter of thestee'ring shaft''iand electrically connected-to the"contac't member` 52 completes this' electrical encloses thev steering "shaftv 55 *which is 'fixed' for reciprocably P'supp'orted' with respect to the steer; irig column 20 "by \`th'e -iabrio'bearing '60 4immediately adjacent the topof thesteeing Ycolumn;

lf-bracket? 62, which :this instance niaylbe made oia die'oa'stiilgds fixedto the outer surface of' `the tbef-'Z'l 'by means offthe 'screws f 63 gand has` a centralopening '264 alignedfwitlfi1 an opening 65"inI the'ltubesZ'l and '59.-' The"operatingflever 36fisl pivoted`5on ltheipin 66 adjacent the outer end of-" the bracketv `52 and:l i extends inwardly through 'the openings f 64 and" S5 to terminate inf the 'head 6'1 which is seated in'thech'annel orrriedvv bythe' `-twospaced angular rings (iS-and B9 "secured The 'operating-lever 36 is 'provided with a fulcrurn bo's'sl cni'Yeach-sdethereof 'spaced inwardly 'of the pi'n 66 and fadapted'- toI 'engage'slidably 'the atteiidfyrtical walls `l2 oi opening 64"(see Fi'gurefsr: i 'rhe'euter end for theA bracket s2 is cuntelbordatA'lS'andthe inner 'end of the operating-'lever 'f36ffisl 'surrounded with' a exible reinforcing tube 59 normally urges the tube 2l downwardly with respect to the steering column 26 to the position shown in Figure 1, from which it may be raised by operation of the lever 36 to the -position shown in dotted line.

-fIheoperation -of the device is believed to be quite clear from the foregoing. Starting from the". position shown in Figure l, the operating leverSE may be rotated about the longitudinal a'xisfof the steering column to rotate the tube 2l in'itslowermost position or it may rst be raised t'o theA position indi-cated in dotted line. This also raises" the tube 2l so that its upper end projects much furtherY into the recess 5l in the hub 2S. The lever 36 may then be rotated about'the column axis to rotate the tube in its uppermost position." This combined reciprocation and rotations-f" the'tube'actuates a suitable clutching device at the bottom of the column which is fully described in the applications referred to above and Will' not be elaborated upon here. A most important point is that the fulcrum bosses lil on the operating lever 3b co-operating with the walls 'l2 of the bracket 52 permit the lever and bracket to operate as a unitduring rotation in either position of reciprocation while the head B'licf the lever .travels circumferentially around thefchannel formed by the rings 58 and 69. However, this arrangement does not impede the vertical movement of the lever as the channel formed by the rings 68 and 69 serves also as a vertical fulcrum point, and the entire bracket, lever and tube assembly may be raised as a unit about it. Both the reciprocating and rotational movement of the lever is effected eiortlessly, and it will be noted that all of the internal structure of the device is completely enclosed either by the hub 26 or the bracket 62 in any of the various positions which may be assumed by the element in effecting the various shifts. The construction of the steering column is very economical, since the only requisite is that some sort of channel be formed at least partially around its exterior surface to receive the head 61 of the operating lever 36. semble since one tube need only be slipped over the other and is held in the desired axial relationship by the fabric bushing supplied and is centered longitudinally by a spring which is simply inserted between the lower edge of the channel and suitable ears struck out on the reinforcing sleeve. The bracket itself may be diecast and will be of adequate strength, since the major loads are imposed during rotation when the fulcrum bosses provided on the operating lever are operative to distribute this load very effectively and there is no danger of damaging the bracket at any time. The entire bracket may be readily removed by removal of the screws, should this ever be necessary, and an entire new bracket, lever and bushing may be replaced as a unit, if desired.

Thus, the resultant structure is very neat in appearance, is entirely enclosed so far as The device is extremely easy. to aslil) appearance and protection against leakage of lubricants are concerned, is economical to manufacture, may be readily assembled and disassembled, and is extremely easy to operate-the fact which is most important since the force sometimes required to shift gears, particularly in cold weather, is quite considerable.

It is realized that -certain changes may be made in the details of the construction shown and described herein, but it is the intention to 6J; cover by the claims all such changes which yare reasonably within the scope thereof.

- Theinvention claimed is:

.l. l'n an operating mechanism for a steering column gearshift employing a concentric operating member reciprocably and rotatably mounted exteriorly ofthe column, comprising a steering column, an` operating member, an extending bracket on said member, an operating lever pivoted-on said bracket and having an inner end slfidably received ina channel xed with respect to said column and extending circumferentially normal to the longitudinal axis thereof.

,2. Inf an operating mechanism for a steering column gearshift employing a concentric operatingttube reciprocably and rotatably mounted exteriorlyof Vthe column, comprising ar steering column, an operating tube, a bracket extending from one side of said tube, an operating lever pivoted intermediate its end in said bracket andA having an' inner end extending through an opening in said tube and slidably received in a channel xed with respect to said column and extending circumferentially normal to the'longitudinal axis' thereof.

3; In an operating mechanism for a steering column gearshift employing a concentric operating' tube'A 'reciprocably' and rotatably mounted exteriorly of the column, comprising a steering column.` 'anoperating tube, an opening in the side of said tube, a-bracket enclosing said opening and extending outwardly from said tube, an operating lever pivoted intermediate its ends adjacent the outer end of said bracket and having an inner end passing through said bracket and said opening and` slidably received in a channel fixed with respect to said column and extending circumferentially normal to the longitudinal axis thereof.

4. In an operating mechanism for a steering column gearshift employing a concentric operating tube reciprocably and rotatably mounted eXteriorly of said column, comprising a steering column, an operating tube, a steering wheel rotatably mounted on said column and having a circumferential recess in its lower surface enclosing the top of said column and slidably receiving the upper edge of said tube, an opening in the side of said tube, a bracket removably secured to said tube enclosing said opening, an operating lever pivoted intermediate its ends to said bracket adjacent its outer end and extending inwardly through said bracket and said opening and its inner end slidaoly received in a channel xed with respect to said column and extending circumferentially normal to the longitudinal axis thereof.

5. In an operating mechanism for a steering column gearshift employing a concentric operating tube reciprocably and rotatably mounted cxtcriorly of the column, comprising a steering column, an operating tube, an extending bracket on one side of said tube having an axial bore, an operating lever transversely pivoted intermediate its ends adjacent the outer end of said bracket, the inner end of said lever having a transverse boss spaced a substantial distance inwardly of said point of pivotal attachment, the axial bore of said bracket having a flattened vertical side slidably receiving the face of said boss to provide free rotation of said lever relative to said bracket about said pivot while restraining said bracket and lever for common rotation in planes normal thereto.

6. A structure of claim 5 which is further characterized-'1in =thatat leastla? portion -fof said' lever extending `outwardly fromsaid'bossfis surrounded by a resilient'fbus-lling resilientlyv deformedbetween 'the-flattened side of said bore andfsad lever.

7.1' In an` operating mechanism iorafsteering column-1 gearsliift employing' af concentric operatingrtuoe ieciprocablyfand" rotatably mounted exteriorly of the lcolumn, comprsingaa steering` column-,an operatingitube; an extending bracket onione -sidev o3` said 'tube'l'iavinglan axialv bore, anoperatinglevertransversely. pivoted intermediate its ends adjacenttlieouterend of said bracket-, the-inner end-'off said lever having` a pair-Pof opposed=ftransversely extended bosses spaceda`r substantial. distance .finvvardlys of said" point of' pivoted? attachment of said` lever, the aXi'alY bere oi" saidbraclret lhaving1"1attened Vertical'v sides fslidably: receiving the respective outer faces zof-said. V'bosses to provide free rotation of said# lever relative to"saicl bracket about said transverse pivot While restraining said' bracket and-lever lfor commonfrotation in planes 'normal thereto; and a resilient 'bushing surroundingv said 9. Inl a-^ leverconstruction having particular f application to the operation' of automotive transf mission contro'laa'bracket having=a1base, a borev extendingythrougn saidbracket fromy said base,l

said bore having a'pairof 'opposedlattened sides, :rein supported in said bracket -remotefromsaid oase andext'endng across said bore normal to4 said-sides; a lever extending through4 said-borei and'pivotailysupported von said pinfsaid lever' having opposed extending bossesvhaving :theirouter faces slidable on said *respectiveflattened sides `between said pin andY said-base, saidy lever beingsurrounded by a sleeve of resilient material at least betveen` said-pin and said bosses, said and slee-ve" resilientlyengaging said' sides cushioningsaid lever:

JOHN v JJ MILTON I J OVANOVIGH.

anmRENcss Crrsn 'Elie following `references are'of record 1in theg le of 'this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS' Number Name' Date 1,425,227' Woodward Aug: 8,'1922 1,515,236' Woodward Nov. 11, 1924* 1,315,871 Douglas' July 211,1 1931? 2,317,654" Wharami" Apr; 2'?, 1943- 

